Growing up, books were always my best friend. They were something that made me feel so much and question the things around me and go out of my comfort zone in so many ways. I grew up in a household with a few people who were super passionate about reading and that definitely rubbed off on me. Up until the third grade, I was homeschooled, so not only was reading one of my main forms of entertainment, it was also a main way of education and growth. So, that foundation of reading as a main component of my life was really built in a strong and consistent way. Ever since then, my love for reading has continued to grow. I have gone through increases and decreases in the amount I read based on where I am in life, but reading has always been a constant regardless of whatever else is going on around me. As cliche and dramatic as it sounds, reading truly has changed my life and continues to do so in so many ways.
Whether it be nonfiction or fiction, fantasy or romance, thrillers or literary fiction, self-help or memoirs, there are books for everyone. As I got older and started to read more diversely in terms of genre, I realized the amount of books that the world has to offer and it was mind boggling. When someone says ‘too many books, not enough time,’ they really do mean it. Just like you can listen to music based on your mood, you can also read books based on your mood. If I am feeling down, I might read a fantasy or romance book to find an escape. If I need a pick-me-up, I might read a funny memoir or a self-help book. If I am feeling extra spooky around Halloween, I might read a thriller or horror. I have found that books have played a key role in helping me get through some of the hardest times in my life. They offer a distraction and an escape, and that can be a crucial thing when things in life don’t seem to be going your way. Not only are books a distraction, but they also act as time markers for me. There are certain books that I can remember exactly where I was when I found it, started reading it and finished it. There are certain books that have been so pivotal in my life that anytime I see the cover or hear the title, I get super strong feelings of nostalgia. Whether it be one specific book or an entire series, I can name specific books that got me through super challenging times in my life and I can 100% say that they were a saving grace for me. I know it sounds super dramatic, and to many people it is, but books have fully changed my life and saved me in so many ways.
Aside from the personal aspect, books have also changed my life in academic and educational ways. Whether it be in a journey to political education and activism or a journey to self love and enlightenment, books have changed the way I view myself and view the world. They have changed the way I think and the way I function. Some of my most crucial habits and ways of thinking have been formed because of books I have read and continue to reference. Something that is super important to me and has been a huge part of my life the past couple years has been educating myself on politics and society as a whole. For most of my life, I was incredibly ignorant and didn’t understand or make myself aware of everything going on around me. Books have allowed me to begin and continue educating myself on both the historical and modern day aspects of politics. Through historical nonfiction books, I am able to pinpoint events and facts that help me understand why the world is the way it is and why it is so important that we educate ourselves and fight for what is right. Then, I am able to move to the more modern nonfiction books and look at them through a historical lens and learn even more. Outside of just educational books, I have also found that memoirs and biographies/autobiographies have been crucial in my journey. Being able to hear someone’s story and experience the world through their eyes is an incredibly transformative experience. Gaining the knowledge and ability to empathize with the experiences of others has motivated me to speak out and to participate, rather than just sitting idly.
In terms of how I read so much, there are a few different pieces of advice that I have. For me, deleting social media and limiting my time spent on technology has made a huge difference. If I don’t have the option to spend my free time scrolling through TikTok, my automatic reaction is to find something else to do and I have tried to make sure that that thing is reading. Deleting social media and limiting screen time has made me realize that even with robust schedules, you can always make time for something if you’re intentional about it. Outside of the schedule aspect, another thing that has helped me increase the amount of reading I do is diversifying my genres of reading. I am the type of person that gets overwhelmed or even bored at times when I do the same thing over and over again, and this really transferred into my reading habits. If I only read self-help or I only read historical fiction or whatever it may be for an extended period of time, I get in a comfortable routine. In terms of reading, I think getting out of your comfort zone is what makes it fun. So, in order to get out of that ‘comfortable routine,’ I will throw in a thriller or a memoir or a romance in order to switch things up. Switching things up helps keep me engaged and keep me on my toes because I never know what to expect. The last main tip I have is to incorporate other mediums of reading, and by that I mean adding in ebooks and audiobooks when and if possible. Not everyone likes reading in the same way, some people prefer physical books and some don’t. But, I find that when I add in both physical and digital/audio reading, I am able to read more throughout the day. I can listen to my audiobook on my walk to class, read my e-book while waiting for class instead of bringing an extra book around all day, and then when I get into bed at night, I can pull out my physical book and enjoy it with a cozy blanket.
If you gain anything from reading this article, I hope it’s the motivation to pick up a book. As I have said a million times in this article, books have been a truly life changing aspect of my life, and I hope that everyone else can have that experience. I hope you find a book that takes you away from this crazy world every once in a while, or a book that just feels like home. Whether you like audiobooks or physical books, or read one book, 50 books, or 200 books in a year, reading is still such a great thing. The main thing about reading is that it is 100% about quality over quantity. What matters is that you find books that make you happy, and make you a better you.
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